This blog contains a series of movie segments to be used to brainstorm, warm up, follow up, and activate schemata, preparing the students for the topic that will be discussed in class. Here you will find the segments, the lesson plans, and varied topics to foster conversation. You may use the activities for a full two-hour class or they can be used separately to brainstorm or wrap up the topic, focusing on conversation, vocabulary and listening comprehension.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

This movie is not a master piece, but I enjoyed it. This scene is wonderful to talk about the sacrifices people make to look attractive.I. Work in small groups:1. What
sacrifices do you make for beauty? 2. How would you define the cultural
standard of beauty where you live? (Some locals value tanning, Botox,
teeth whitening; others a more athletic standard; still more a
curvaceous silhouette.) 3. Do you give much thought as to the things you
give up to attain attractiveness? 4. Would you trade a year (or more) of
your life for a slimmer, more 'ideal' shape? 5. Are men as concerned about their appearance as women are? Explain it.6. Is it OK for men to go to beauty salons, spas, or to have a concern about their looks? Why (not)?7. What's your opinion about metro sexual men, heterosexual males who spend a lot of time and money on shopping for their appearance? Is there a limit to it?8. Do women want to look beautiful to attract the opposite sex or to impress other women? Explain it. What about men? II. Which of these procedures or behavior would you consider doing in the future (or have you already gone through) in order to look younger or more beautiful? If you are a man, what's your opinions about the items below?a. ( ) Botox injectionsb. ( ) Liposuctionc. ( ) Cosmetic surgeryd. ( ) Use makeup to cover acnee. ( ) Exercise more than 3 hours every dayf. ( ) Wearing mud masks on the faceg. ( ) Experimenting new untested rejuvenating productsh. ( ) Cosmetics i. ( ) Wearing high heels that are 12 cm tallj. ( ) Operation of siliconk. ( ) Wearing "complicated" clothes that make you look thin l. ( ) Wearing hair extensions (mega hair extensions)m. ( ) Sleeping with cucumbers or steaks on the eyesn . ( ) Going to a beauty salon twice (or more times) a week.III. What other procedures or behaviors can one do to look younger or more beautiful? IV. Watch the movie segment from the movie Mirror Mirror and discuss the questions.1. What are some of the procedures that Ravenna, Snow White's stepmother, did in order to look beautiful.2. What items is II did she experiment?3. Are you not familiar with any of the things she did?4. Are the procedures effective? Explain it.5. Have you ever done any of those things to yourself? Dis they work?

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

I really thought I would not like this blockbuster, but I was totally wrong. I love the plot and how it is conducted. I also thought it was original and appealing. I truly recommend it. I used this scene to talk about altruism, not using a very obvious segment.

Altruism (also called the ethic of altruism, moralistic altruism, and ethical altruism) is an ethical doctrine that holds that individuals have a moral obligation to help, serve, or benefit others, if necessary, at the sacrifice of self interest. An action is morally right if the consequences of that action are more favorable than unfavorable to everyone except the agent

1. Based on the definition alone,
brainstorm several people who demonstrate this word. These people can be famous or individuals in
your life. What do they do to show
altruism?

II. Decide if you agree or disagree with these statements:

( ) Altruism is human nature. We all are altruist.

( ) Altruism is hereditary.

( ) Even animals sometimes have altruistic behavior.

( ) All human beings are 100%
self-interested. In other words, even if
someone helps another, they are doing it for their own interest and essentially
for the wrong reasons.

( ) You do not need money to be
altruistic. You simply need to sacrifice
your time.

( ) Altruism does not have to be for poor needy people you don't know. It can be a small act to help someone in your family, for example.

( ) Helping someone in the family is not altruism. It is obligation. Only helping people you don't know is altruism.

Watch the segment from the movie The Hunger Games and discuss the questions:

1. Describe the scene.

2. Is the main character's decision an act of altruism? Why (not)?

3. She is volunteering to help her sister. Do you think she would do the same for a stranger? Does it make her less altruistic?4. Many believe this is not altruism, but moral obligation. What's your opinion about it?

Sunday, February 10, 2013

This movie is a must. Teachers will love it. Temple Granding is autistic and eventually managed to become a Master. I learned a lot watching it. I strongly recommend it.

Read the text below about Learning Disabilities:

A learning disability is a neurological disorder. In simple terms, a learning disability results from a difference in the way a person's brain is "wired." Children with learning disabilities are as smart or smarter than their peers. But they may have difficulty reading, writing, spelling, reasoning, recalling and/or organizing information if left to figure things out by themselves or if taught in conventional ways. A learning disability can't be cured or fixed; it is a lifelong issue. With the right support and intervention, however, children with learning disabilities can succeed in school and go on to successful, often distinguished careers later in life.Parents can help children with learning disabilities achieve such success by encouraging their strengths, knowing their weaknesses, understanding the educational system, working with professionals and learning about strategies for dealing with specific difficulties.(http://www.ldonline.org/ldbasics/whatisld)

In pairs, tell each other what you understood, using your own words. Don't miss visiting the site above to learn more on the subject. It is informative and serious.
Match the learning disability below with their definitions.

MY OTHER BLOG

Movie Segments to Assess Grammar Goals

About Me

I'm a teacher at Casa Thomas Jefferson, Brasilia, Brazil. I'm a Branch Coordinator and Teacher Trainer as well. I really like movies and seeing them with "different" eyes, trying to see how I can use them in my classroom. Recently, I have dedicated my ideas to grammar activities with movie segments because, apparently, teachers use movies for many purposes, but grammar. Working with movie segments fosters students' production and interest. I truly believe that grammar exercises should be attractive. I have just developed a new blog for movie segments to enhance topic based classes, focusing on conversation, listening comprehension and vocabulary acquisition. If you have suggestions for the blogs and the activities, just say it!

Casa Thomas Jefferson

O Inglês Como Deve Ser

Welcome

The main purpose of this blog is to share activities to enhance the teacher's lesson plan. They will not replace the course book, but they will make the lessons more attractive and richer. Share your warm-up activity with movie segments too. You may email it to me at claudioazevedo@thomas.org.br and the activity will be credited to you with a link to your own site if it's the case. Give me suggestions for topics and segments too, please. Isn't sharing just fantastic?